By Diane VanDe Hei The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in October released its long-awaited proposal for the revised Lead and Copper Rule (LCR). The proposal includes many far-reaching provisions that, if put into law, will have a lasting impact on how water utilities in the United States address leadRead More

Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it is inviting a total of 38 projects in 18 states to apply for Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loans. Together, the selected borrowers will apply for WIFIA loans totaling approximately $6 billion to help finance over $12 billionRead More

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Mid-Atlantic Region is offering free compliance assistance to smaller water and wastewater treatment facilities in five states and the District of Columbia to help improve water quality protection throughout the mid-Atlantic. “EPA is providing valuable technical assistance and training to operators of smaller publicRead More

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a $436 million Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loan – the largest initial disbursement under WIFIA to date – to the Indiana Finance Authority (IFA). EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler announced the loan closing along with Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb andRead More

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently announced its proposed revisions to the Lead and Copper Rule, which addresses lead in drinking water. David LaFrance, CEO of the American Water Works Association (AWWA), issued the following statement: The American Water Works Association (AWWA) is committed to advancing strong consumer protections todayRead More

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Thursday announced a proposed rule that significantly improves the actions that water systems must take to reduce lead in the nation’s drinking water. EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler announced the proposal at an event in Green Bay, Wisconsin. This action represents the first majorRead More

The Senate Appropriations Committee recently passed a fiscal year 2020 (FY20) Interior & Environment Appropriations bill, which funds the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and key clean water programs. The full House previously passed its FY20 Interior & Environment Appropriations bill earlier this summer and now awaits passage of the Senate version beforeRead More

At an event last month in Albany, N.Y., U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Regional Administrator Pete Lopez, joined by representatives from the New York Farm Bureau and the Business Council of New York State, announced that EPA and the Department of the Army are repealing a 2015 rule that impermissiblyRead More

Last week the Senate signed off on a bipartisan, two-year budget deal that lays the groundwork for lawmakers to make progress on FY20 appropriations bills this fall. The budget agreement, which the House of Representatives previously approved, will now be signed into law by President Donald Trump. The budget framework increases theRead More

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler and Region 5 Administrator Cathy Stepp recently visited Cleveland, Ohio, to announce a new Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) grant program specifically focused on funding trash-free water projects in the Great Lakes. “Removing trash, litter and garbage – including plastics – fromRead More